Class Exclusive
by kairiluvzu830
Summary: Class Exclusive (C.E) is a special privileged class for the top students of Alicante Academy. Clary, a poor, yet extremely excelled student, enters the prestigious school in order to (hopefully one day) defeat her rival, Jace, the teen prodigy, in anything at all.
1. Chapter One: How it All Began

**Hey guys! You are currently reading my fourth story, and as most of my stories go, this one is based off of a show. The show is an anime called Special A and it is super awesome! :) I recommend it for any anime lovers that dig school/romance/comedies. So without further ado, please enjoy! NOTICE: This is a fictional story, there may be things that happen that are physically impossible.**

Chapter One: How it All Began

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Clarissa Fairchild; daughter of a retired professional judo-wrestler/boxer and a retired disastrous gambler. Since she was a mere toddler, her father had trained her to become an excellent fighter as well. Starting with punching hands, to training gloves, to sandbags, to people's faces, Clarissa had become a fiery, fierce teen who wiped out every single girl, boy and man who had the guts to challenge her. Since her family had become, well, under middleclass, she had started to make bets with people that challenge her. She hasn't lost for three years, and was able to collect enough money to put good food on the table.

She was merely thirteen years old on that one fateful day when she had first met Jace Herondale.

"Clarissa, your next opponent has arrived." Her father announced to Clary as he turned into her training room. He often found her here warming up for matches. She was too busy lashing at a sandbag to notice her father. She easily, almost effortlessly, made the bag swing up and down. Clary gave the bag a strong kick, and sent the bag flying. It unhooked from the bars and landed with an earthshaking thud. She cupped her hands onto her mouth and guiltily looked at her father.

"I'm really sorry, dad." She said in a high voice.

Valentine shook his head, in both blunder and amazement. "Honestly, Clarissa. That's the second time this week." He was beginning to think that he created some super-child. He walked into the room and patted her messy head of hair and kneeled down to examine the sandbag. Clary saw a slight struggle because of his aging. He rolled it over and saw that one of the previously punctured holes that was patched up was reopened, allowing some sand to spill out. Most of the rips were because of Clary. In fact, she had most of her training equipment for nearly ten years. Getting new ones would put an unnecessary dent in their budget.

"What's all' the ruckus?" A voice spoke out. Clary followed the smooth sound with her eyes and they landed on a boy, who looked about her age. Clary almost gasped in surprise because of his perfection. Perfect skin color. Perfect blonde waves. Perfect body structure. And his perfect luminous, golden eyes. He nearly reminded her of a lion, with his bold looks. She was under the mesmerizing spell of his eyes when…

"Yes?" He raised a curious brow at Clary, something she has yet to learn.

She snapped out of the spell and said, momentarily off guard, "What?" The boy smirked, clearly enjoying how awed she looked. "Wha- Who are you?!" She demanded, finally getting a hold of herself.

The boy didn't look like he was going to reply. As if he already knew her father would answer, "This is Jace Herondale. He's your newest challenger." Her father had come up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Clary blinked with disbelief. "You're kidding right? He's not even in uniform." The so-called-Jace was in a black t-shirt and jeans. He looked as if he were on his way to a friend's house, rather than a judo match.

"That won't be necessary. This match won't last long." He scanned his eyes over Clary, as if already planning a technique.

Clary's head felt like a train that was _choo-choo-choo_ing its whistle, and as if smoke shot out of her ears and nose. She was about to escort him out when she noticed that he had already cruised by her. He knelt beside the sandbag and picked up a handful of sand. Completely ignoring the fact that Clary must have been the one to whack it off its bars, he said, "This version came out almost two decades ago and is covered in punctures."

"It suffices." Her father simply said.

Jace blew the sand off of his palm and shifted his gaze towards Clary. "And I suppose you are responsible for all of these holes and dents in the floor?"

Although it wasn't particularly something she should be proud of, she put her hands on her hips, held her chin high and nodded.

Jace snorted and let his fingers run back and forth on each other to release any leftover sand. "You really should have some control."

Clary really started to feel the fumes now. Her father caught her just as she lunged in his direction. "Excuse me?!" Her face red with embarrassment and anger. "Just who do you think you are, walking into our home and trash-talking someone you don't know?!" Clary was trashing around in her father's strong arms.

Her anger seemed to fuel his amusement. "This is what I mean when I tell you, you need some control." He laughed and added "Oh, and to answer your question," he leaned in close to her face. Again, those eyes grasping her attention, like a bear trap. She unwarily stopped trying to pry her arms free from her father's grip. "Jace Herondale." He made a clicking noise with his teeth that would have made any girl's knees water. He straightened and began to walk out the door, looking pleased with himself.

Clary fumbled out of her father's arms. She pointed her finger at him, even though his back was to her. "Jace Herondale!" She shouted. He looked over his shoulder. "Prepare yourself! I, Clarissa Fairchild, accept your challenge! And you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"

Jace grinned, probably taking her for a fool. "Great, I look forward to it." And with that he stepped out of the room. The second his heel was out of the room, she slammed the door shut. Her fingers were clawed and stiff by her sides. She was breathing heavily with frustration, still staring at the door.

Her father approached her cautiously, as if she were a ticking bomb. He placed a hand on her tense shoulder. "Clary, honey, I think you need to calm down.

Clary clenched her fists. "Calm down?" She whirled on him, revealing a beastly, angry expression. Her left eye twitched twice as she shrieked, "I'M COMPLETELY CALM!"

Her father pulled his outstretched hand to his chest, suddenly feeling small. He chuckled nervously and gave a shaky smile. "I can…see that…" He scooted around the fire-breathing beast and slipped silently through the door, as Clary was still staring at where her father was five seconds ago.

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Clary, with much determination, stomped out of the house to the backyard. Everyone was there. Like, everyone. People, more than usual, had gathered to watch the match. It's been a while since she had fought with someone younger than twenty. She slowly made her way down the steps and people cheered. Jace was sitting on a chair, right behind his starting place. His leg was over the other and elbow propped up, fingers spread across his temple. He looked bored and ready to yawn. He saw her move to her staring place and he rose slowly.

"You decided to show up. For a second there, I thought I sent you crying in a corner." Jace smirked. He didn't seem the slightest bit of nervous. It made Clary want to pinch his ear and yank it off. Anyone would feel a twinge of anxiousness having a match in front of so many people, yet he acted like no one else was there. It was inhumane.

"Don't get too cocky, or I might be the one to send you crying." Clary shot back at him.

His lips curved even higher. "You're sounding a little doubtful. Do I frighten you?" Clary heard a faint _oooo_ sound from the audience.

It must be his technique, Clary thought, to try to make his opponent feel small. Well, unfortunately for him, she doesn't care about what he says. "Not at all, Goldilocks." For a second, Clary thought she saw him clench his hands, but the look on his face was indeed deceiving. "How much are you willing to bet?"

Jace replied with, "Five thousand dollars."

The whole crowd burst with gasps and cheers. _Five thousand?! _Clary felt a bit of uneasiness. He really looked serious about it. Clary wasn't sure if he had a whole stache of money, or he was absolutely sure he was going to win. She never had bet nearly this high before. If she were to lose this bet…

"You can do it, Clarissa!" "You got this, girl!" She heard words of encouragement from the excited crowd. Almost like flipping a switch, she flipped her mind around. Yes, that was it. She had to see the positive sides of this situation. She was letting Jace's words get to her. She's been undefeated for three years, five with kids her age. Clary could finally earn enough money to afford a vacation for her mother. And plus, she really wanted to tear Jace apart.

"Deal." Clary said with a surprisingly even tone. The crowd roared with cheers.

Jace sheared through the crowd's noise. "Don't be nervous, Clarissa. If you lose, you don't owe me any money."

It was her turn to be cocky. "No need for that. It's what makes this a fair match."

For once, Jace was silent. He stepped into his starting place and beckoned Clary with his hand. Clary resisted the urge to growl at him. Her father was the referee. He said to Clary, "You don't have to do this, you know. You can always back out."

Clary closed her eyes, as she always did before a match and smiled. "That's out of the question." Valentine hesitated for a bit, but eventually waved the flag to begin the match.

Clary shut out the crowd completely and focused on any nearby sounds…but heard none. Confused, she peeked out from an eyelid. An equally dazed Jace was still standing in his starting place. He looked like he was going to laugh, but was suppressing it. "What are you doing?" He asked. Clary was getting lost already in this game. Usually her opponents would charge at her right after the flag came down.

"Uhh…" She said glancing around awkwardly.

"You didn't call me out here to go to sleep, did you?" Jace said impatiently.

"Not at all." Clary replied and lunged forward.

Her fist was an inch from his face when he grabbed it suddenly and flipped her over. She landed hard on the ground and rolled over twice. She heard the silence of the crowd. She stared in disbelief at the ground. _A mere two seconds. I lasted two seconds._ Clary wasn't sure when the crowd started cheering and chattering about Jace. She saw a shadow cast on the ground.

"Are you okay?" His hand didn't get to reach her. The moment she realized it was Jace's voice, she had flinched away. For a slight second, she saw hurt and sympathy in his golden eyes. She knew she wasn't going to forget that look, as if it were burned into her memory already. But he had closed his eyes and stood up. "As I said, don't worry about the money. Goodbye, Clarissa."

Her eyes were still wide with shock as Jace walked away out of sight. Then it hit her like a brick wall. She had lost. Lost her title, her pride. She was humiliated. She dared a glance at the crowd and saw a few sympathetic eyes and pouted faces. Clary looked at her father, who felt the worst for her. And on top of all of this…

Clary realized that Jace was gone. She stood up abruptly, cringing a little in pain. She sprinted for the gate and pushed through it. She was shocked to see a long, white limousine parked in front of her house. She saw a man shut a passenger door and made his way to the driver's seat.

Clary bolted forward, but it was too late. She heard the engine rumble. "Jace!" She cried out. The limousine drove off somewhere far away. Clary's knees buckled and her hands stung from catching her fall. They gravel on the road inflicted pain, like each one was a mini dagger, but she didn't feel it. Finally, she let the tears she had been holding in spill out.

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**_Three years later…_**

_This is the day, _Clary sprinted through the busy streets of Alicante. Her school bag bounced on her leg, which usually would annoy her, but not today. Nothing could spoil this day. She had been preparing for this moment for the longest time. All of the studying and training and fighting had led her to this. She had aced the Proficiency Exam and was awarded a large scholarship to Alicante Academy; one of the most prestigious private high schools in the country. She had been accepted into a class of six with special privileges, for instance, coming late or having lunch whenever they wished. Her parents had to basically scream at her to convince her to let them help pay for the tuition. Her relatives buzzed about how proud they were that she was accepted, but Clary didn't feel accomplished. There was only one thing she came here for.

Clary zoomed by the students, leaving a whoosh of air behind, Clary came to a skidding halt in front of the opened gates of Alicante Academy. She was huffing and puffing, but felt no exhaustion. She ran forward and saw five students with the same outfit as hers, silver and fancier than the normal Alicante uniforms. Clary felt people's eyes on her, but she ignored that. She stopped ten feet in front of the C.E. members. Four of them were staring agape at her. And the fifth one…

"JACE HERONDALE!" Clary shouted, even though he was fairly close by. For some reason, she had been itching to say that name out loud after three long years. He turned around.

Clary made a thin line with her lips to suppress a gasp. He's the same, but impossibly better. Perfect skin color. Perfect blond waves. Perfect body structure. And his perfect, luminous eyes, that were very wide at the moment. His lips parted in total surprise and Clary savored every second of it.

Clary reached into her bag and threw a stack of money at his feet. "Five thousand dollars." She earned every single buck that was thrown onto the floor, whether it was doing matches, gardening, or babysitting, she earned it all. Normally, any person would feel reluctant to just throw so many years of work down, but it felt like a relief to Clary. She lost that match, she owed a debt to Jace. But as if a boulder was risen from her shoulder, the burden was gone. "A no is a no. I made a bet and lost. Take it." Jace picked up the large stack and looked like he was weighing it. "Don't trust me? Count it. I triple checked it."

Jace looked at loss for words. But he wasn't staring unbelievably at the cash like the other C.E. members were, he was staring at Clary. To him, five thousand was something he could use as toilet paper, but for some reason, this stack of money…felt like more than money. After a while, he shook his head and smiled. He knew he couldn't convince her to take the money back. "You're as stubborn as ever, Clary. I suppose you were the one who shipped that sandbag to me yesterday?

Clary nodded (she couldn't believe the little devil actually sent her a new sandbag a long time ago, so, of course, she sent it back), but was a bit bewildered. "Clary?" No one has ever called her anything but Clarissa.

"Yeah." He looked distracted and reached out to play with her bouncy, red hair. Clary felt herself tense up a little.

"Jace?" She called out to him.

He stared into her emerald eyes and smiled. Clary almost instantly fell into the same spell of his eye like she had three years ago. Thankfully, he had directed her gaze to the people behind him. The one girl there gave a welcoming wave. "Clary, meet the C.E."

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**Well, there you have it. That's the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it, there is more on the way. Now if you will excuse me, my butt is burning from sitting in one place to long. So please follow/favorite and review! If there isn't enough feedback, I may not continue this story…But I really want to! So please show support! Love ya'll!**

**~Beanie Wayland**

**P.S. Please tell me someone got my Avatar: The Last Airbender reference...**


	2. Chapter Two: Clary Who Seeks Redemption

Chapter Two: Clary Who Seeks Redemption

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Clary was given a tour of Alicante Academy later that day by the principal Mr. Starkweather, and it was safe to say, that everything was gorgeous. The gym was huge and had so much more stuff to do than her old public school. The classrooms smelled as fresh as flowers and were very roomy. The bathrooms were glorious. Now she didn't have to hold her breath when she had to go, thank God. It wasn't until she reached C.E.'s half, yes, they had their own section of the school, that she felt overwhelmed with the wealth. An angel water fountain stood in the middle of the garden, paths going around it. There were so many colorful and elegant plants and flowers. Certainly, half of them came from another country. There were some she had never even heard of.

The principal stopped in front of a pair of glass doors with C.E. written in gold. It leads to a huge glass dome. Clary was filled with anticipation. Mr. Starkweather said, "This is where you will be spending most of your time here at the academy. This is the Class Exclusive lounge." He opened the large door with an arm. Clary walked into the room and was hit with a wonderful scent of orchid. It was perfect temperature for her, slightly chillier than normal. She went through the short hallway and into the next room.

Goodness gracious she almost fainted. There were trees and flowers inside. So many comfy looking couches, she was tempted to drag one home. Any kind of piece from heaven you would want, hammocks, chocolate fountains, you could find it here. But what was most amazing was the color changing waterfall and river and the beautifully designed granite bridge that curved over it. Clary found herself smiling widely and let out a short laugh. She caught sight of red passifloras and couldn't help but gasp. She ran over and inhaled the wonderful fragrance it gave off. She had always wanted to do that. Flowers were always such a wonder to her. Each one was so unique in appearance and scent.

It took her a while to realize that Mr. Starkweather was still standing there. Clary froze completely. "I am so, so sorry. I must look ridiculous-"

The principal politely waved it off. "Nonsense, child. Smell whichever you desire. I am taking my leave now. Will you be fine here?"

"Most definitely, Mr. Starkweather. Thanks for giving me such an amazing tour."

He gave an accepting nod. "Have a good day, Ms. Fairchild." He said before leaving her. Clary didn't waste any time. She adored nearly all of the collection of flowers. It was as if she had stepped into a fantasy world. Clary never had the chance to even taste the life of a rich person. But now, here she was, at one of the most expensive schools she'd heard of, and getting the full experience.

"Clary!" Someone called out to her. She almost plucked out a lily's petal. She stood up and saw Simon running in her direction. He was so far away, despite being in the same room. It was very strange, but Clary didn't mind. Simon Lewis, ranked #3 at the academy. He is apparently geeky, with his slightly oversized glasses. He loves video games, anime and comic books, so Clary can sort of relate to him…kinda. As far as Clary knows, he is a sweet guy. "Clary, where've you been?" She had been gone a while, maybe three hours for the tour and some paper work.

Clary smiled. "Sorry! But I have lots of time to spare now." Which was true, she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now, so why not?

Simon replied, "Great, let's go." He jabbed a thumb in the air and spun away. They walked further into the room and crossed over the bridge. She hoped her eyes didn't seem too large with awe.

Isabelle was the first to look up. "Clary! You're back!" She jumped up and made her way to her swiftly. Clary wasn't sure what she was gonna do, but Isabelle ended up hugging her. Clary, feeling a little awkward, hugged her back. Isabelle Lightwood, ranked #6 at the academy. She seems a little too jumpy, but Simon assured Clary that it wears off after a while. She is probably the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen in person. She has luscious hair and long, skinny legs. She has a large chest and an hourglass figure. To top it off, she doesn't have a bratty attitude, like most of the pretty people she'd met.

Isabelle pulled her onto a cream colored sofa and they plopped down. Across from them were Alec and Magnus, who were sitting closer than Clary's comfort zone if she were one of the two. Alec gave a frank wave and Magnus said, "Welcome to our little sanctuary." Magnus Bane, ranked #4 at the academy. Boy, was he an interesting one. He probably had more glitter on his eyes than you would find on a five year old's bedroom floor. He is very into cats, and ironically, his eyes kind of looked like cat eyes, slit and captivating. Clary didn't want to ask, but she guessed that he was gay, or at least bisexual. Alec Lightwood, ranked #5 at the academy. Obviously, he is Isabelle's sister. Clary thought he was a tad bit of an awkward turtle, but only sometimes. When he's around Magnus, he seems to feel more comfortable in a conversation. Overall he's a gentleman.

Clary clapped her hands together. "So Isabelle, what do you like to do outside of the academy?"

"Please, call me Izzy. The only people who call me Isabelle are old people." Clary made an _O_ with her lips and then nodded. She definitely didn't want to look old on her first day.

"Anyway, I like to do-"

"Girly, pretty-pretty time with Magnus." Clary heard Jace's voice but didn't see him. She was astonished to see him to her right, his face concealed with a novel. She hadn't even realized he was there. Or maybe he had slipped in as silently as wind itself. "Isn't that right, Izzy?"

Isabelle folded her arms in defense. "Oh shut up, Jace." She rolled her eyes, but admitted sheepishly, "I do much more than girly, pretty-pretty time with Magnus." At that, Jace and Alec burst into laughter. They were still laughing when Isabelle flung pillows at both of them, instantly starting a pillow fight.

Clary watched as the five students played with each other. Doing jumps and flips from the couch and hitting each other recklessly. They seemed so close knit. They were together last year too, after all. She felt a little left out…

Clary was lightly whacked at the side of her head with a velvet pillow. It was Isabelle handing her one. "I can't take all of these guys at once, you know."

Clary grinned and grabbed her weapon. "Girls against boys!" She yelled. She charged at Alec, who barely had enough time to cover himself. Clary swung with both hands as hard as she could and felt the satisfying solid connection. Her smile wavered as she realized that Alec was skidding across the floor. Everyone but Clary was laughing hysterically. "Alec!" She came over to him, who was lying still on the ground. She placed his head gently on her lap, as if his neck could snap at any moment. "Alec…"

His blue eyes opened and he grinned. "That was insanely epic." Clary was flooded with relief as they stood up. She thought she had ended him with her blow.

"Round two." Clary mockingly lifted the pillow over her head and swayed her hips, like those sexy girls in WWE fights. They laughed again and Isabelle jokingly hit her with her pillow.

Jace cracked his knuckles loudly. "I think I'll take the beast this round." Clary guessed that she was the beast he was referring to was herself. "Unless Alec wants to lose more brain cells than he has." Alec just smirked and shook his head.

Clary felt the determine rush through her veins (or the adrenaline kicked in. She couldn't tell.). "Alright, Herondale! I challenge you to a pillow fight! If I win this match, then you shall admit that I am the superior."

She could tell he was holding back a mouth full of laughs. "Oh, but if I win this match, then you shall…fan me whenever I demand for the rest of the day." He made a gesture with his hand when he said 'fan'.

"Deal." Clary said simply and got herself ready.

"Then it's a game." He said. He whispered into her ear as he passed by, "Miss Second Place." He walked by, leaving Clary fuming once again.

"Don't call me that!" She squealed at the amused boy. Jace Herondale, ranked #1 at the academy. A pretentious asshole. He is a cocky, rich boy that pissed her off nearly every second she was with him. But one day, Clarissa promised herself that she would prove to him that he wasn't invincible. Or maybe to prove that to herself…

Jace plucked a pillow up from a couch. Next thing he knew, Clary was running for him, flowing red hair flapping along. He easily ducked under her swing. Her momentum carried her as she spun for another hit. As if he had predicted her movement, he had sidestepped her attack. He jumped over the couch as Clary lunged forward. Clary followed after him as he picked up another pillow. He spun and released it with perfect timing and accuracy. Clary would have gotten hit in the face if she hadn't had her hand there to catch it. She passed the pillow behind her back to her right hand and fired back. Jace caught it by his face, but kept it this time. Clary made sure to pick up another pillow to make herself even.

He was standing far in front of her, but he didn't need to yell. "I have to say, Clary. You're not as slow as you were three years ago." A part of her was surprised he had remembered how long ago their match was. But a bigger part of her was annoyed of his remark.

She charged forward with blinding speed. Jace had a late start, yet he was able to meet her halfway. Their weapons clashed together, Clary nearly falling onto her butt. But there was no way in hell she'd let that happen. She felt like she was exerting all the strength she had just to prevent herself from being pushed down. Jace, on the other hand, was looking amused as usual, only sweating a few drops. Before Clary could be pushed back, she slipped to the side and landed a hit from each pillow on his unguarded back. She literally had to demand herself not to cry out in victory.

Jace didn't seem shaken at all. "I guess it's time we ramped it up a notch." He flipped his weapons in the air and caught them skillfully. _Pssh, I could do that. _Clary lied to herself.

She ran towards him again, both pillows at her side. Jace leaned left, as if he were to attack in that direction. Unfortunately, she didn't see him switch swiftly to the right. Already in midair, she turned and astoundingly was able to block it with her left. With much force, she swung her right pillow towards his cheek. He barely pulled his head back in time. Clary felt another fiesta going on inside her. "I'm impressed with that block."

_Like hell you are! _"It was pinch of luck." Clary said instead.

"You'll need more than luck to beat Le Magnificent." He declared.

Clary snorted and whacked the air where his head was a split second before. Jace, with extreme speed, raced ahead of her and hammer-flung a pillow like a Frisbee. Clary retaliated at the pillow with one of her own. The two pillows bounced into each other in the air. Before they came crashing down on her, she sped forward. It felt like a battlefield, this simple pillow fight.

He was waiting far ahead of her. Clary charged like a raging bull and he did the same. Once again, they had a solid clash. The impact stung Clary's body quite a lot, but she knew he could feel it too. They both were pushed away from each other.

Clary got a running start and jumped high into the air, pillow raised up high. As she landed, Jace caught the pillow and brought her hands to the back of his head. The length of his arm was too long for Clary and her shoulders came to rest ontop of his, pillow fallen to the floor. She stood there, still as a rabbit sensing its surroundings. His hands locked the pillow behind his head and her arms were through the loops of his, still outstretched for some reason. The realization smacked into her and she gingerly snatched her arms back. She let out a breath that she had been holding in.

She stumbled back a few steps as he chuckled and picked up her pillow. "What was that about, Herondale?"

"Me?" As if he was falsely accused. "What did I do? They were your arms." He said in innocence. Clary wiped her sweaty forehead with the hem of her shirt and tried to catch her breath. Jace seemed to be breathing rather normally. "I didn't realize you wanted me that much."

Jace saw Clary's expression and made a run for it. "Take it back, asshat!" She was going to funnel his brains with drumsticks when she gets the chance.

Jace was laughing. "Asshat? What is that?" He said in bewilderment. He jumped onto the railing of the bridge and calmly walked on.

But Clary was nowhere near calm. She hopped onto the railing offbalanced. Jace peeked over his shoulder and saw a discombobulated Clary trying to reach him. She crashed into his body. Naturally, he was able to stand his ground. But Clary's foot had already left the granite. He heard her gasp and stretch out her small fingers.

"Clary!" He yelled and grasped for her hand. His fingers just brushed hers as she slipped through, like sand. She was in the air for a second until plunging into the opal river with a slap twenty feet below. Without hesitation, he kicked off from the bridge and dove for her. The river was icy cold, making Jace's goosebumps rise. His hand barely contacted the pebbles at the bottom, despite the long drop. He willed his eyes to open, feeling as if they would freeze right off. He turned and saw Clary's limp body sinking down, her red hair spread out gracefully. He swam to her with a single stroke and placed his arms beneath her. Jace kicked off from the ground and swam the rest of the way up.

He gasped for air and swam to the edge of the river. He gently placed her onto the grass and pushed himself out of the water. He crawled over her and saw that the top two buttons of her uniform were undone. Jace felt himself flush, despite the coldness and swore aloud. His knees were on either side of her hips. He pressed his ear against Clary's heart and heard a fast hammering sound. Jace almost sighed in relief when he realized that it was his own heart beating quickly. He felt her pulse and went cold. It was slowing down.

"Clary." He whispered. He pressed his palm into her stomach. She still wasn't conscious as he pushed down multiple times. Jace swore louder this time. He propped himself up on his hands and stared down at Clary's pale face. He didn't have a choice did he? He gradually lowered himself closer to her. Drops of water from his damp hair fell onto her face like tears. He brushed the streaks of hair that was plastered to her eyelids and cheek. His thumb pressed downwards on her smooth chin, her mouth giving an opening. His parted lips brushed hers ever so gently.

It was followed by a sharp inhale from Clary. Jace rolled off of her and tried to look casual. Half of him was upset that she had awaken, while the other half felt overjoyed to see those emerald eyes again. Clary covered her mouth with her hand as she coughed up water. She sat up and tried to seize her coughing. At that moment, Jace knew he was playing it wrong. "Why the hell do you look so casual?" She said with a croaked voice. Bad move from Jace. He was still speechless and trying to set his heartbeat to a normal pace.

She smacked her thighs with her hands. "Unbelievable. I fall from the Tappan Zee into the Hudson and yet you're sitting there with that cocky look on your face-" Clary stopped herself and took in Jace's appearance. He was also drenched and dripping. He was also slightly shivering. There was no doubt about it. Jace had actually saved her.

Clary was about to say something when she had a fit of coughs. Jace reached out and steadied her shoulders. The coughs had left her breathless. She pulled her hand away and saw traces of blood. "What…" She said in confusion.

"You must have landed badly into the water. We have to get you to a nurse." He helped her up. A pain shot up her spine and she doubled-over. "Take it easy, Clarissa." Jace held her wrists as she adjusted to the pain.

Isabelle and Simon came rushing into the scene. They rushed to Clary's side. Isabelle clamped her mouth when she saw them. "Oh my God, what happened?"

"Is it not obvious enough for you?" Jace said exasperated. "We need to get a nurse. Clary's starting to cough up blood."

"No." Clary knew her voice was sounding puny. She cleared her throat and pulled herself from Jace's arms, nearly falling to the ground. "There's no way I'm getting in trouble the first day I get here."

"How is that more important than your health condition?" Isabelle said, using what looked like a handkerchief to dry off Clary's hair and face.

Clary abruptly started coughing again, making sure to turn around so she wouldn't infect Isabelle. She laughed, "This- this is nothing."

Jace threw his hands in the air. "Oh for crying out loud." He strode over to Clary, whose right hand was now painted red. She made noises of reluctance as he swept her off of her feet.

His arms binded her tightly, but not enough to feel pain. "Jace, let me go!" She hopelessly thrashed in his grip.

"I'll be back." He told Simon and Isabelle. He walked away with a furious, struggling Clary.

Simon raised his hand. "Um, do you need help with that?" Jace didn't turn around and disappeared into a hallway. Simon pulled his arm back down.

Isabelle rolled her eyes and tugged Simon's ear. "C'mon, you." He made constant _owwie _noises as she pulled him away. "By the way," She said softly, "you saw it too, right?"

Simon blinked, clearly lost. "Saw what?"

Isabelle yanked his ear harder, then loosened up. "You know what I'm talking about! How Jace was about to go smooch-smoochy with Clary!"

Simon nodded his head and grinned. "Oh!"

"Geez, you can be an idiot sometimes." She shook her head.

Simon tilted his head. "Well, he was probably just doing CPR…"

"Don't you get it?!" Isabelle accidentally pulled her grip up, but didn't apologize. "He's obviously crushing on Clary!" She sounded excited.

He replied, "Are you sure? I'm almost positive it was CPR-"

"I know that, Simon! Don't you know anything about love?" Her voice turning into honey at the end of the sentence.

Simon shook his head without a shred of shame or embarrassment."No, not really actually. I'm more of an action kind of reader. The genre of romance and lust never really stood out for me."

Isabelle ignored that, "Think about it. Have you ever seen him look at a girl like that? He's never looked at me like that. Not any other busty chick. Not even Aline." Simon went serious after the mention of her name. "He looked happy to see her this morning for the first time in a while. Am I the only one picking up little hints of affection here?! I don't know about you, but I'm interested in seeing where this goes."

… … …

Jace hoped to make it to the infirmary in one piece. At first, Clary was reluctant, trying to sever his hold. After a while, she began to tire out until she stopped moving entirely, which scared him more than her angry state.

"You're a psycho." Clary had said as they walked out of the dome. "You could have just ran down the bridge and get into the water safely." She shook her head and smiled faintly. She pressed her forehead against his hard chest and nuzzled in without knowing. "Psycho…"

He exhaled loudly. "If I had ran all the way down, I wouldn't be speaking to you now." The sunshine blazed brightly, making Jace wince.

"Well, anyways…Thank you, for saving me." She knew she was pink. It was embarrassing. Yet another debt that she had to pay. She hated owing people. But how do you pay someone back for saving your life?

Jace was smirking and once again predicted her. "Don't worry. Don't go out of your way to repay me for this one. It was a mandatory duty of a man." They were able to dry off a little by walking through the heat of the sun. It was hot three out of the four seasons in Idris. Jace chose heat over chilliness any day, so Idris was his cup of tea.

Clary decided to share, "You know, before I woke up, I could have sworn I heard someone calling my name. Like an angel, or something. I couldn't have been that near to death, but…it was such a soothing sound." Clary's eyes began to slip. Her fingers traced her bottom lip lightly. "And then there was…" She trailed off, probably not wanting to sound insane. Jace was sweating with nervousness. If she had continued…

"Hi Jace." The voice came from behind. He turned his head, in no mood to chat with anyone. He was surprised to see Aline Penhallow behind him. "What in the world happened to you?" Jace was still leaving a trail of water where he walked.

"Aline?" He hadn't seen her since last year. Not that he cared.

Clary heard noises and stirred around. Jace lifted her up a little to adjust his grip. She pried her eyes open and saw a pretty Asian girl, who looked sideways because the position she was in. Clary opened her mouth to speak, but felt coughs rising from her diaphragm, so she chose not to.

Clary saw the girl shot her a soul-piercing glare that made her heart rate shoot up. She had to shut her eyes, as if she had just seen a jump scare in a horror film. She heard the girl say in a dangerous voice, "Is that…?" She was very glad Jace started moving again.

"It's not a good time, Aline." He spun on his heels, leaving the girl staring after them. Clary could almost feel Aline's two eyes burning into the back of her head.

He finally got to the infirmary. He balanced Clary carefully on a knee and opened the door. The nurse, Dorothea looked up from her desk with a loud inhale and hand to her chest. "Goodness…" She said with concern and made her way around.

Jace squeezed his fingers that were on the side of her stomach gently. "Clary, we're here. Wake up." Clary opened her eyes slowly. She wished she could record his tender voice. It would make a better alarm clock than a fire truck siren. She wanted to hear him say that whenever she was to wake up… Clary's eyes widened. _…I think I might have hit the water a bit too hard. _

She stood by herself and was guided by the nurse to a nursing bed, where she sat down. Clary informed Dorothea of the incident in all truth, but made sure the others didn't sound to blame. She must have apologized ten times. "It's okay, it's okay, child. As long as you're alive and breathing now." Before she examined her back, Clary demanded that Jace leave the room. An irritated Jace slumped out of the room obediently.

As the nurse searched for anything broken, she said to Clary, "You must know Jace very well for him to jump in after you." Clary thought about telling her that she had only met him once years ago, but she continued. "You must be even wealthier than the other students here."

Clary felt the cold stethoscope press against her skin. "I'm afraid I don't really understand…"

Dorothea raised an eyebrow, "What do your parents work as?"

Clary answered, "My father is a retired judo-wrestler and boxer. My mother, well, she jumps around a lot. But I'm able to afford the tuition because of scholarship."

Dorothea had an understanding expression. "I should have known. You're a part of the C.E. program after all. But are you unaware of who Jace is?" Clary nodded, finding herself curious to know who he is. Since she had met him, she had wanted to learn more about him. "He is the eldest son of Will Herondale, the owner of a successful business corporation." Will Herondale. It rang a bell, but unfortunately, Clary's family usually never bothered with business. "In other words, he is heir to its leadership." Clary was amazed. It must be a big responsibility or even a burden to be the heir.

"I had no idea." Clary said, looking distant.

"I assumed your family was close with his. I mean to plunge into a river from so high up," She shook her head, "he really is a fearless young man. Despite his obnoxious attitude, I guess there can be a good side to him." But her eyes looked knowing, not revealing everything. Clary didn't think she knew him enough to agree, but she silently believed so. "I feel a little bad for the kid, being told to be perfect at everything."

"What?" Clary said in confusion. She wanted to learn more, but she felt like she was butting into his personal life.

Dorothea looked mildly upset. "His father gives him private mentors for everything; art, sports, studies…they should just give the guy a break. He already knows what job he is going to have." She scoffed. "It was most likely the mother, rumors say." _Rumors? Just how famous was this guy?_ "She wanted to create a prodigy. It's a damn shame she didn't live long enough to see him turn into one." Clary went still. It was so harsh, the life he must be having. She looked at the door and felt as if he were listening to them gossip about him.

Dorothea put all the equipment away. "Well Clary, you seem fine to me. You should be okay."

Clary began to stand. "Thank you-"

Dorothea gently sat her back down. "The great thing about C.E. is never worrying about being on time. Rest up, Clary. You can go back whenever you're ready." She grabbed her keys and opened the door. She gave a little shout of surprise to find Jace standing right in front of the doorway, with an impatient pose. It was sort of strange. Clary felt like she was staring at a completely new Jace. Or rather, the Jace she wanted to know about. He made way for the nurse, who seemed to have muttered something about 'lovers'. "Oh, and rest assured, this whole bridge incident is safe with me." She said on her way out. Clary thanked her as she left.

He found Clary lying down on the nursing bed. He sat beside her head. "Everything's okay?"

"Yeah." She replied simply.

He gave an exhausted sigh. "It took a while. What were you guys talking about anyway?"

Clary hesitated and prayed she didn't sound suspicious. "A bunch of stupid stuff, just to make time pass." Which was partly true, Jace can fit under the category of 'stupid stuff'.

"I see." He said with a knowing tone. It was quiet for a while.

"Jace, who was that girl we saw outside before?" Clary asked to fill the silence. She felt him tense up a bit. "She's your girlfriend right? I guess I'll need to go explain everything to her later."

"Aline Penhallow. She's not my girlfriend." He said. Clary wished she could see his expression. "Not…anymore."

Smell that? That's the wonderful smell of awkwardness. "Oh. Well, then she must hate me for no apparent reason at all. At least, as far as I know. Maybe I did something wrong…?"

Jace didn't answer for a while. When he did, his voice sounded low, "Has she said anything to you before?"

Clary shrugged and pursed her lips. "I've never seen her before." She was about to stop there, but didn't want to leave Jace clueless. "But back there, she shot me the most horrific leer." She shivered with exaggeration. Jace was silent. "I hope she didn't think we were, you know…_dating_ or anything, right?" Clary was unsure about why she had trouble spitting out that sentence. After he still didn't answer, Clary almost suspected that he fell asleep. She tilted her head up and saw a mildly distraught Jace. Was he feeling sorry for her? It wasn't necessary. She wasn't the first girl to hate her because of a misunderstanding.

She was about to tell him not to be when he said, "Clary," he sounded like he was pained, "in the C.E. program, we have the most privileges of any other class, even Class A fourth year students. It is a class that everyone strives for, which inspires students to aim for the highest grades. That's basically why it was created two years ago." Clary nodded, not seeing where this was going. But she was impressed at how the C.E. was all third years instead of fourth. They must have been the baby boom of geniuses. "However, this academy already spends much of the budget with normal classes, which is why there can only be six members in the program."

Clary's mouth opened in fear for what he was going to say next. She sprang up from her lying-down position. "Don't tell me…" She saw Jace nod absentmindedly. She shook her head and felt a shiver. "I can't believe it. Did I really steal her spot? Oh my gosh, I feel so…" She stuttered and hugged her chilled arms, the room going suddenly an icebox. Clary was a monster. She had ruined a girl's chance of being able to participate in C.E. just because she wanted to redeem herself. Suddenly, all of her hard work felt shameful. She had been selfish.

"Not exactly, Clary." Jace said. She looked up, with a mini jolt of energy. Had she interpreted it wrong? Had she…

"Actually Clary," His clenched fists gave away his reluctance. Clary froze completely, finally understanding. "for the last two years, she was ranked #6. So in other words," Clary scrunched up her legs and disappeared from the conscious world. It didn't matter, she knew what was coming, "you bumped her out."

… … … … …

… … … … …

**Urgg, I wanted to finish something in this chapter, but I was getting lazy and didn't wanna rush it (you may have noticed me getting lazy towards the end) Really sorry guys. Guess you'll have to wait until next time! I apologize if there are grammar mistakes in my story, because I know it ticks me off a little when I read funky fanfictions. :/ But for now, follow/favorite and review. You know how I love reading feedback :) **

**By the way, I am wondering whether I should continue the events on this day or skip a month ahead. I mean, of course I would explain what happened after that, but briefer. I just don't want to spend so much time on one event…I have a lot of ideas in mind… Decisions, decisions. What do you guys think? Let me know which and why with a review!**

**I DO NOT OWN WILL HERONDALE sadly. HE IS PROPERTY OF CASSANDRA CLARE.**

**~Beanie Wayland**


	3. Chapter Three: Clary Who is an Idiot

Chapter Three: Clary Who is an Idiot

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**_One month later…_**

Clary walked through the gates of Alicante Academy as the majority of other students were filing in from limousines. Isabelle had offered to order a personal limousine for Clary, which she quickly declined. Even if it was as cheap as buying candy for Isabelle, Clary didn't want her to spend so much for her. The two girls had gotten very close. Simon was right about Isabelle's jumpiness wearing off, but she still is crazy at times.

She made her way under the pillars of the school and walked the opposite direction in which the other students were going, a spot of silver in the middle of the wave of white uniforms. Clary didn't get lost anymore, as she did the first week. The school still seemed like a palace to her.

She suddenly caught sight of Aline ahead of her approaching. Clary noticed that she was staring at her too. Her heartbeat thumped loudly as they were getting closer to each other. The one second they had passed each other silently felt like a slow motion eternity. Clary's chest was relieved of the pressure as they walked away from each other. When they were a good distance, she stopped walking and leaned onto a pillar. Her first day of Alicante, the day she found out that she had caused Aline to be bumped down from C.E., she had rushed out of the nurse's room and sprinted her way around the school. At the time she wasn't familiar with all of the locations. It took her nearly ten minutes to find the principal's office. And then…

**_The first day of school…_**

"Clary! Where are you running off to? Shouldn't you be at the nurse's office?" She heard Isabelle's calling from a distance, but she ignored it. The hallways were empty, the rest of the student body in classrooms. She breathed heavily as she tried to read the signs on each door she passed by. _C'mon, where's the main office?! _

She skidded to a stop as she caught sight of the office. She was about to turn the knob when saw her friend standing in front of her. Clary hadn't notice that Isabelle was ahead of her. Isabelle said in confusion, "Why are you looking for the office?"

Clary said shakily because of her uneven breathing, "Izzy, I need to switch out of C.E."

Izzy, baffled, said, "What? What is going on?"

Clary couldn't help but feel betrayed, "Izzy. How come you never told me about Aline?" She looked shocked to hear her name. "How come you never told me that I kicked her out of C.E.?" Isabelle seemed ashamed and averted her eyes from Clary.

"You wouldn't understand…" She started, but Clary already closed her fingers around the doorknob.

She couldn't handle it. She was just a poor girl who ended up butting into a life she wasn't fit for. "It seems that there's a lot that I don't understand." Clary jerked the door open and stepped inside, ignoring Isabelle's cries.

There were two secretaries slacking away at their desks. Clary almost jumped right back out when she felt something clutch her head. She turned and saw _him_ standing by the doorway, holding the top of her head with his hand. "I knew I'd find you here, you know, after half an hour because you got lost." Jace. She could never win against him! His eyes shimmered, "Right?" Clary stubbornly tried to pull her head back. She succeeded, but was rolling off the edge of her heels. Jace was there, preventing her fall and pushed her against the lavender wall. He kept her body prisoner, tightly locking his arms on either side of her head. "Don't do it, Clary." She made the stupid mistake of looking at his eyes, that same spell taking over.

Before her whole being was captivated, she shook her head violently, "No, I have to. I don't belong here."

"You belong in C.E. more than Aline does." Clary shook her head again, not believing anything he says.

He was about to speak when one of the secretaries who was filing her nails interrupted, with a heavy Spanish accent, "Excuse me, keep it down, or take it outside."

Jace rolled her eyes at her and sucked his teeth. When he looked back at the wall, he noticed that Clary escaped under his arms. He took her arm before she could burst into Mr. Starkweather's room, "The principal is having a meeting."

"Then I'll find someone else-"

"_No_." He said harshly and dragged her outside. A panicked Isabelle almost bumped heads with Clary.

Isabelle put her hand to her heaving chest, "Oh thank God you were there, Jace."

Jace bobbed his head, "I was just about to tell Clary about Aline when that petty little secretary woman barked at us. They're demons I swear." He exhaled loudly and turned to an upset Clary. "I know you feel like you're doing the wrong thing, but trust me, Aline…she's…"

"A crazy bitch." Isabelle finished for him.

Clary, astounded that she would say something like that so upright, began, "Izzy-"

She shrugged in innocence, "What? She is! You should've seen how attached she was to Jace. She was basically on his ass every second of the day." Clary snuck a glance at him, who looked annoyed thinking about it. "And did I mention how she trashed my locker because she saw me hugging him that day." Clary made a disgusted look. She always hated that kind of girl in movies, overprotective and nearly insane. "Yeah. She tried to lie about it, but I know it was her. I saw her walking out of the locker room with a handful of markers." Isabelle snorted nastily. "That idiot. She even hated Alec, just because he was gay and close with Jace."

Clary felt something disturbed inside. How could such a horrendous girl exist? Jace added, "You forgot to mention how sometimes I would find her outside the gates of my house staring into my window." Clary looked at him in disbelief. "Yeah, I used to be able to walk outside my balcony with my shirt off so Mother Nature can appreciate my looks." He scratched his head. "I can't now." Clary's lips shifted to one side, looking unamused

"Even so, she earned her spot here before me. She's the one that should belong here." Clary said.

Jace chuckled at that last part. "Clary, she was #6 and someone came who was smarter than her. You deserved the spot. She's what made us all miserable for two years. We've never had any luck finding someone who can take her place." Clary was still unsure of herself. Sure, Aline sounded like a person who can easily be despised, but to just kick her out… "Until you, Clary. You saved us."

**_End flashback…_**

Clary pinched her arm to cut off her thoughts. She sighed. How was she the hero? She crushed Aline's heart to little bits, without even knowing it. It doesn't matter what kind of devil she is, Aline-

Clary was suddenly bumped in the shoulder. Jace accidentally on purpose walked straight into her. She ungracefully landed on a pillar. "Oh, didn't see you there, my little Clary." He ruffled her red hair and walked past her. She was really going to break his bones one day. Without looking back he said, "You should hurry to class, or you'll be late for being early." And just like that he made his way into the C.E. lounge.

When Clary stormed into the lounge, he had already engaged himself with a novel. As usual, they were the first ones there. She could understand why the others came late. After two years of having no rules on coming to school on time, she would have been the same. But she wondered why Jace came on time. In fact, he varied from the others greatly. He walked to and from school, even though he owned more than one limousine and car. He (normally) didn't wander into the kitchen unless it was lunchtime. And he didn't leave during school, even though the other members invite the two to go out. Jace was rather obedient like Clary. Still a jerk, but an obedient jerk.

She knew he heard her indoor shoes clacking inside, but he didn't look up. Clary clapped her hands together with force once, making Jace hunch into his book. "Okay, Jace Herondale. I'm feeling good today! It's time for another challenge." Her voice boomed. She imagined that the wind from her mouth should have blown him to the side.

He yawned and shook out his blond hair. He immediately began reading again, despite his light red eyes pulling down. "Maybe tomorrow, Clary. I'm pretty tired today." She did notice something off about him this week. He slouched in his chair and came into school with tousled hair, as if he'd just woken up.

Clary went over and craned her neck above his head to peek at what he was reading. Jace's head suddenly jerked back into the chair in surprise. Clary didn't seem to notice. The font was as tiny as a baby's fingernail with fairly complicated words, not that Clary couldn't read it. She said with a twinge of indignation, "Reptiles. You're reading a book about reptiles. Why are you reading a book about reptiles instead of taking up my challenge?" His cheeks were tinted red like his usually perfect eyes. She said a little softer, "Hey, are you all right?"

His eyes shot open and was about to reply when they heard a noise coming from the trees. From a distance Clary heard a vicious whisper, "Simon, you twat! Pick up your glasses." Definitely Isabelle. She wondered why they were here this early- or rather, this 'on time'.

"Come out of the forest, my chimp-lings." Jace said, using the armrest of the chair to stand.

"Chimp-lings, that's a new one." Magnus walked out without a shred of shame. The others followed after him with suspicious smiles.

Isabelle spoke out, "Well, anyway we'd just like to say that the four of us are going to a pool party an hour away from here. We'd invite you, but we already know the answer…"

Clary smiled in apology. "Really sorry, guys. Skipping school is not how I do."

Jace shrugged indifferently, "And I guess I can't leave this one here." He put his arm around Clary casually, making her red. He couldn't tell if she was blushing or getting ready to punch out his teeth. "Who knows how many couches and tables will be missing." They cracked up, Clary crossing her arms and looking away.

Simon rocked back on his heels, the way he did when he was nervous or about to say something that would piss a person off. "So…since we're all leaving and you two are staying here together, you know, _alone_…That's sort of like a da-"

Clary and Jace shouted at the same time, Jace pulling his arm back hastily, "This isn't a date!"

For a second, Simon was the supreme to the two, smiling in victory. Alec backed away with his hands up, "Alright, alright. You win, it isn't a date." Clary saw his elbow nudge his friends lightly and gave a dark glare. She saw a smile crack open and she started sprinting just as he said, "Not until we leave."

Her friends already busted out of the door. Clary threw the doors open but the car had already left the roundabout. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Clary came into the lounge feeling unsuccessful in teaching those kids a lesson. Clary stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Jace on one knee in the middle of the lounge dome. She couldn't see his face, blonde hair like curtains securing his expression.

She sped over to him and slid onto her knees. She winced at the rubber-like sound it made and knew for sure she'd get a floor burn. "Jace." Clary put her hands on his shoulder and shook them.

Before she could do anything else, he placed his left hand on her right. His voice sounded slightly rasp, "No need to worry, Clarissa." His head popped up and he had the happiest smirk ever. "I was just tying my laces." She blinked and stared at him. Her first expression was relief. Suddenly, Clary's nostrils flared as she squeezed her grip on his shoulders. Jace stifled a laugh, "Looks like someone wanted me to trip-"

"You're an obnoxious piglet." She released and flicked his head roughly. As Clary turned to stand, she saw him nearly fall back in the corner of her eyes. When she looked, he was already on his feet, stretching out his arms.

"With that said, I would make some nice bacon." Clary was unconsciously looking worried, not buying his 'shoelace' joke. He noticed and caressed the top of her head with his hand. His eyes sparkled as he said seductively, "Feel free to have a sample sometime." He winked with pleasure as Clary pretended to throw up that bacon.

… … …

The two had waited for the other C.E. members. Clary made sure to stay at least three feet away from him. Jace seemed amused whenever he glanced up from his book and saw Clary leering at him. Then she would continue to do her school work and the same procedure would occur a few minutes later. After waiting another thirty minutes following the dismissal bell, they decided to leave.

They walked out of the school gates together. Clary thought it was a bit odd to be with Jace after the bell. Usually right now she'd be on her way home with Isabelle or tutoring other people. Yet she was alone with him the whole day. Almost by instinct, she blurted, "I can't believe I was with you for the whole damn day without a single challenge!" They turned a corner. It appeared that they walked the same way. "Were you really that exhausted the entire time, or are you actually avoiding challenging me?"

He snorted, "Are you considering that I fear you, Miss Second Place?"

Boy, he really knew how to blow her top. Clary nearly shattered her lungs. "Don't call me that!" He cringed at her voice. She turned her head to the side to hide her guilty look. Next time, she won't get up in his face. They continued along the long street in silence, only the birds and breeze to distract them. Clary sneaked a look and saw Jace walking with his hands in his pockets. She didn't understand why boys did that. Were they cold? Did they do it to look attractive? She thought he looked attractive with it-

His hands roughly pulled back from his pockets, cutting off Clary's stare. She heard the faint sound of a honk. Jace yanked Clary by her wrist. She let out a surprised sound as she fell into his tight grasp. She felt a rush of wind tug her hair across her face. They stood like statues in that pose for a few seconds. Clary opened her scrunched up eyes and had to look up to see Jace's. They were blank, but dilated. She pulled away slowly, even perhaps reluctantly. She noticed that her right heel dangled over the busy roads. Clary regained a steady stance, stared at the brick sidewalk and clutched her hands. "For the second time, and most likely not the last, thanks for saving my life, Jace." She said with amazement. She was never this distracted around anyone.

She heard him chuckle with almost no volume. "Whenever your life needs saving, I'll be there, Clarissa." His hand came up and tilted her head back. It revealed a blushing Clary. Her eyes were wide with wonder, in contrast to his half-open, lazy eyes that still captivated Clary to this day.

She almost thought he was leaning in as she said, still staring, "I think we should cross. We're making a little commotion." People were trying to squeeze around them to cross the road before the red signal came on. He broke off his stare and tugged her by the elbow across the street. While he pulled her, Clary stared at the moving legs of the crowd. She placed the back of her hand onto her cheekbones and cursed under her breath. _I'm blushing, aren't I? _

They walked again in silence, but a much more pleasing silence. Clary couldn't help but replay those moments in her head. She couldn't remember how she felt being so close to that passing car, not that she ever noticed. Jace was always the one to make her feel like a little girl, needing help all the time. He's done a lot for her, and she can only thank him. Clary still felt like that thirteen year old that met Jace years ago, nowhere near his level. If only she'd known more about him…

Her head pulled up slowly and Jace found her staring at him, not even trying to conceal it. Jace, after feeling a bit queasy, asked, "Um, yes, Clary?"

She didn't seem off guard, like she expected him to speak up. "Where do you live?"

Jace was the one off guard, "Clary. I thought we'd go slowly on this. But if you're so eager-"

"Where do you live?" She repeated, ignoring his sarcasm.

"Conch Street." He said simply.

Clary stopped walking and waited for Jace to do the same. "That was like three streets ago!"

Jace laughed silently, arching his back, "Yeah…" Shaking his head like it was a good memory.

"Are you _following me home?_" She looked around for any bewildered faces because she spoke a bit too loud.

He squinted his eyes, as if she made it seem stranger than it was. "Well, I don't really wanna go home yet. And plus I don't want you getting some funky looks from anyone." He said from the corner of his lips. "These skirts you girls wear for uniform really need to cover at least half the cheeks."

Clary's mouth flung open and her hands came to the backside of her skirt. As he began to laugh, she punched him in the shoulder. He rubbed the spot where she hit, but she knew she hadn't inflicted much pain. His eyes told otherwise.

Clary put her hands on her hips, "Fine. If you are going to escort me home, then we shall have a race." To her shock, his eyes averted away nervously.

"As I said, Clary-cloo, I'm not feeling so hot right now." He said, pushing his hair back. _Clary-cloo? _He added, "I don't blame you if you haven't noticed. Even on my off days, I look fabulous. Besides, how can I win, I don't even know where your house is."

Clary replied, "Hmph. Then I guess you can turn around and go home-"

"Nope." He said in absoluteness. "Fine, we'll have a race." He stretched his arms to the side, the sun glistening over his lean muscles.

"My address is 17 Adele Lane." She regretfully said. He was probably going to drop by now. Clary found a smile creeping from her lips and pushed it back.

Jace was on his mark. "Looks like someone's starting to trust me."

Clary was set. "I trust you to pull me away from a speeding car if I get distracted again."

They sprang up like ducks hearing a gunshot. At first, Clary soared ahead with determination to beat Jace once and for all. Soon enough, Jace was strolling beside her. He said with hitched breaths, "Wonderful weather we're having, ay?" Clary stared with disbelief as he sprung ahead.

_Oh no you don't. You're not gonna beat me to my own house. _She pushed herself to climb up to his speed. They passed the park and were making their way towards a street busy with pedestrians and shop owners. Clary struggled to keep up with Jace as he slid like a snake around the people. They passed a buff man on a bicycle, who seemed pretty upset about them speeding by. The guy frowned and pedaled faster, his leg muscles contracting. Clary matched his movements by shuffling her feet faster. Her legs were screaming in pain, but she wasn't going to stop until she ran into her front door. She looked unbelievably at Jace, who was still ahead of her. He seemed to notice the bicycle guy frowning at them. Jace stuck his tongue out and wiggled his fingers atop of his head. The guy grunted and hopped off his bicycle.

Clary gasped as the guy's fingers just slipped upon her uniform. Jace grabbed her hand and pulled her along. The man was no match for the two. He stopped and flung his hands down in frustration. Even from here, Clary could see the largeness of his muscles. The man turned just in time to see his bicycle fly into the air in a hundred pieces as a car cruised by with a honk.

They heard his faint, deadly curse and laughed. It made Clary cringe slightly in pain. "Hey!" She yelled at Jace who was still holding onto her hand. "This has to be a fair race! No handicaps!" She fought to get enough oxygen to speak.

He slowed down next to her. "Well, I needed some excuse, didn't I?" His hair was plastered to his forehead and his chest heavily rose and fell. Clary was glad that her face gets red from jogging. She sprinted down the road, earning astounded glances from the people. They were away from the busy part of town and she caught sight of her home. Clary forced her short legs to move faster. She was sure to be sore tomorrow, but that didn't matter. All she cared about was finally beating Jace.

She was arriving at her fence when she noticed that Jace still hasn't passed her. She peeked behind and still didn't see him. Clary looked back in front of her, fearing that he had surpassed her in a blink of an eye. But he was not there.

She used the fence to stop herself and searched for him. Did he get lost? Her eyes desperately scanned the area and saw a ball of golden lying on a patch of grass a distance from across her house. Despite her leg's exhaustion, she sped towards Jace.

"Jace." She said unevenly because of her breathing. She turned him over and saw that his eyes were shut. His face and arms were scratched and bleeding. Pieces of grass were like confetti over him. "C'mon, Jace. Wake up!" She wiped away the dirt from his face and shook the life out of him.

His eyes cracked open, but closed immediately. He mumbled something inaudible to Clary. Her whole being was washed with a cold sensation. He isn't dead. She placed her hand against his head. It was way over the normal temperature. He must have gotten a fever. Clary licked her dry lips. "It's okay, Jace." She wrapped his limp arms around her neck and locked it there. "I'll be the one saving your ass this time." Clary muttered as she began limping towards her house.

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**Hope you enjoyed chapter 3 guys! To tell the truth, I'm a little sad that I haven't been getting much feedback…I need some company :( But to those that did review, I am very grateful that you did. I love reading comments. They give me joy :3 Don't forget to follow/favorite and leave a review. Til next time, chao!**

**~Beanie Wayland**


	4. Chapter Four: Clary and the Patient

Chapter Four: Clary and the Patient

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Jace's eyelids were glued shut. Still, red-orange light was glowering into his eye sockets. On top of that, they were on fire. He was aware that he was lying down, but he was still trying to recollect where he was.

He exhaled because of the sudden splash of coolness on his forehead. He felt a few drops of water spill to his temples. However, as soon as the coldness came, the heat soon returned. The damp rag rubbed over his face. He felt himself smile with pleasure. It was an oasis in the middle of a blazing desert.

In the oasis, he saw someone splashing in the water. A girl with fiery flames for hair, leaning on the only tree. She beckoned him over to the sanctuary of icy waters. He obediently made his way over to her. He suddenly didn't want to wash his burning body in the water. He was mesmerized by the girl's beauty. His feet walked through the cold pond and stopped in front of the girl. His scorching palm cupped her face. He was surprised to be awarded with a freezing touch. He leaned into her, his chest and arms now cooled from her skin. He heard her whisper to his ear, "Wake up, Goldilocks."

Jace's eyelids were open now. He was in an unfamiliar room. The walls were lavender and had mostly simple furniture. Drawers, mirror, fan, chair, and other typical stuff you'd find in a bedroom. It was then when he noticed that he was lying on a purple bed.

His eyes stopped on Clary, who was in the center of the room, facing the other way. He hadn't realized that he bolted upright, ignoring the pain in his head, at the sight of her taking off her uniform. Her shirt dropped to the floor, and so did Jace's jaw. Her bra strap was a dark shade of pink, like his flushed cheeks. Her fingers dropped to the waistband of her skirt. For a second, he believed that he was still dreaming. The sound of his gulp must have been loud, because Clary peeked over her shoulder.

She shrieked and her hands went to her chest, much to his disappointment. He cringed as his head ringed. Clary whipped up a t-shirt and marched over to Jace, one arm covering herself. She lashed it across his chest and yelled, "You perverted alien!"

He put his hands up for protection, "What? How was it my fault! You're the one who decided to strip in public!"

She quickly threw on her shirt and retorted, "This is the thanks I get for dragging your half-dead body all the way up the steps, rather than letting you get run over by a car? And actually, this wouldn't be considered public, since it's my room."

"You didn't have to bring me to your room."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you prefer my parents' room? Or perhaps the bathroom. At least there, I can put you in the tub and drown you, so I wouldn't have to put up with your whining."

Jace was about to stand up, when dizziness washed over him. He grunted with pain and his hand went to his burning head. Clary rushed over and pushed him down onto her pillow. She picked up the cloth and dunked it into a bucket of cold water. She wringed out the excess water and gently placed it over his face. He heard, "Don't move that."

Her footsteps led away, followed by the sound of clothes shrugging off. Jace had the strange urge to whip the cloth of his eyes, but his energy was completely lost. After a while, she had returned to his side, taking off the cloth. She had changed out of her skirt into a pair of fading shorts.

The cloth was warm in her palm. His fever wasn't going down. "You had a breakdown while we were racing." He watched her as she prepared for another wash. "Your exhaustion turned into a fever, you're burning hot right now." She winced a little, waiting for a sarcastic remark.

All she got was, "How long was I out?" His voice was different. The sarcastic confidence drained out of him.

The cloth came down on his head, taming the flames under his skin. She replied, "About three hours." Jace painfully peeked outside the window and noticed that the sun had already finished setting.

"And you've been trying to rid my fever ever since you brought me here?" He asked, a lump stuck in his throat. She nodded and rubbed the cloth against his arms. "I- Thank you, Clary. I mean, no one's ever done anything like this for me. It must have been a lot of trouble for you." The only people he could remember that took care of him when he was injured or sick with exhaustion were their house maids. They refused to treat him unless they got a large salary, even if it was a crucial situation. But Clary…all by herself…

The rag caressed his neck, leaving a blissful trace wherever it went. "Well, don't thank me yet. This seems like a serious illness. I don't think I can maintain your condition much longer. We may need to call the hospital or your parents-"

"No." His hand caught Clary's, which was resting on the cloth beside his neck. "This will pass eventually. I was just tired from working all night."

"Working?" Clary stopped moving the cloth.

He grimaced as the heat was on its way again. "I know you know more than you think I think you know."

Clary tilted her head, her brain suddenly breaking. "How did you know I know more than-" His hand went up before her brain broke in half.

"I heard you talking with Dorothea last month." He said. Clary's heart hammered with guilt and even fear. His eyes were lowered, but lazily, as if he didn't care.

She pulled her hand away in shame. "Jace, I didn't mean to pry-"

"It's fine. You were going to find out sooner or later. I mean, everyone else knows about it." He assured. Clary still felt at fault. "But I can tell you more if you want." Clary opened her mouth to object. He interrupted, "Too bad, I'm telling you anyway." She pursed her lips and dunked the cloth into the icy bucket. "What Dorothea said is true. She didn't mention how I'm already starting to work with my dad's company. I sort of work with the finances and stuff, like an accountant."

Clary clenched the rag in anger. "That's hardly fair. You're only seventeen."

He sighed. "I know, it sucks. But because of that, I'm always occupied at home, whether it's another private session of class or doing work." Though her opinion didn't matter, she believed it was unreasonable to make him perfect at everything when his job has already been decided. "I was up all night doing calculations, so that's probably why I collapsed."

He saw her eyes lifeless with pity. It pierced him to see her feel sorrow for him, something no one else has given him. He wasn't sure when, but Clary had wrapped her fingers around his. They were trembling with either anger or sadness. Or both.

"It's too much for you. I can try to convince your father to stop making you work so hard." Clary said.

Jace chuckled and rubbed his thumb across her soft skin. "My dad isn't one to be influenced so easily. But I'll be alright as long as…" He trailed off, lost in Clary's two emerald jewels. _As long as I can see you every day._

"You must have no energy left. You need to rest up more to rebuild your strength." Imagine that. Jace, the one who is helpless and weak. Her hand left his, leaving it hollow and empty. Clary put the cloth on his forehead. She stood up and spun around. "Get some sleep-"

"No, Clary!" Clary whirled in shock and saw Jace upright. His chest was heaving very visibly. Sweat mixed with water fell in single droplets onto the sheets. "When I fall asleep, you'll call my father and tell him to get me." Clary didn't answer. She admitted to herself that that was what she was considering. "I swear, Clarissa. I'll get better if you take care of me."

Clary saw something she had never seen in him before. A pleading sense. He must be tortured at home. She didn't want to send him back until he was well. It wasn't that she didn't want him to stay, but her voice came out with annoyance, "Fine, only if you do exactly as I say. No being stubborn. My room, my rules, got it?"

Jace muttered into the wall, "She's worried about me being stubborn."

Clary glared at him. "What was that?"

Jace shook his head, which gave him a blurry vision. He fell back onto her pillow, the pain pinching into his warm skull. He grimaced and arched his back. Sweat stuck his hair onto his temples. Jace felt Clary's cold fingers press against them. "Oh my God, Jace. This is insane, you're burning up."

"For you, baby." He sung. Clary stared agape at him. He chuckled, "What, not a fan of the Jonas Sisters?"

"The Jo-" She stopped herself, slapping her head with her palm. "We need a way to bring your temperature down." She placed the damp cloth onto his head. His breaths were like a dragon's. She wouldn't be surprised if smoke came out. His eyelids were only half open and struggling to stay open.

Without thinking she began to unbutton his uniform vest. "Clary…" Jace said in surprise.

Clary stopped herself and felt her cheeks warm up. "What? I have to cool you down somehow." She said with her eyes averted.

He smirked, his old personality flooding into him slowly, "If you wanted me to take my clothes of, you could've asked."

She rolled her eyes, skin getting redder. "Don't make me wear a blindfold." Normally Jace would continue the perverted conversation, but he was silent. With shaky fingers she finished unlooping the black buttons from each string. Jace sat up so she could remove his vest. When he put his head back down, her palms rested on his white undershirt, the only thing that separated her hand from his bare stomach. She wanted to be elsewhere so badly.

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Well don't stop there, we were just getting to the juicy part." Clary wondered why she bothered with this boy.

"Clamp it, will you?" She said in exasperation. She felt the heat from underneath his shirt. Clary climbed over his lap nervously, refusing to look at his eyes or she'd do something stupid. Jace sat upright as Clary stretched her arms over his back. She clutched the hem of the fabric so tightly that her fingers blended in with it. Clary pulled it over his head and threw it onto the floor. As if she were walking on a thin rope over an endless abyss, she repeated in her mind _don't look down, don't look down, don't look down… _

A voice cut through her thoughts, "Um, Clary why are you shutting your eyes?" With a gasp, she opened them immediately. She found her hands in fists on either side of Jace's pillow. He was staring at her lazily. Or lustfully. Clary sat up abruptly and swooped up the cloth. She splashed it in the cold bucket again and placed it cautiously on his clearly-visible abdomen. She felt Jace's whole body tense up under her. _Just don't look, Clary. _She dragged the cool rag over his chest, which was moving with his short breaths. His stomach was glistening with wetness, the outlines of his abs were dark.

Clary was biting her lower lip, which was about to drive Jace crazy. He sat upright, almost colliding their heads. Clary held his gaze for a second, then rested her chin on his shoulder. She washed over his back, which could've set fire any moment. Clary could see muscular indentations even in his back. _Perfect muscular structure, remember?_ Her movements were gradually slowing. She subconsciously rested her head on the side of his neck. She caught her eyelids drooping and blinked to wake them up.

Jace turned his head slightly, his hair tickling her neck. "Are you tired?" She nodded and suppressed a yawn. It was probably fatigue from taking care of him for three hours. Jace was almost positive that she hadn't realized that she'd stopped moving the cloth. He knew it was probably wrong, but she deserved rest too. Jace lowered them onto the mattress, careful not to disturb her.

Before her hand could be pinned behind his back, she moved the cloth onto his forehead. Clary wasn't even aware of their skin pressing onto each other. Before she drowned in her sleep, she muttered, "What do you think you're doing, perverted idiot…"

Jace saw her eyes close completely, and her fast heartbeat had faded. God, she was beautiful. He'd have to thank her in the morning for ridding his fever. If only he could stay snuggled here with her forever… But he knew the next morning would come and she would jump out of bed and scold him and make him smile like she does every time. And then he would get back to his busy routine then next day. He shook it off. He definitely wasn't going to spend this luxurious night thinking about the next. Jace took one last look at Clary, who was smiling just a bit and curled up on his left arm. He closed his eyes and saw her in his dreams. The girl with fiery flames for hair in the oasis of his desert.

… … …

Clary's eyes cracked open and saw her purple wallpaper. She yawned despite her resistance. She stopped halfway when she caught sight of a fair skinned hand beside her head. Clary's head whipped to the side.

Jace was staring intently at the ceiling. When she turned, he flickered his golden eyes at her. "Good morning, beautiful."

It was obviously a dream. There was no way he could be in her bed…or actually. Her memory jogged and broke into a race. The goosebumps found their way to her skin. That was real?!

"AHHH!" Clary flung up and untangled herself from him. She stumbled out of the covers and onto her rug. Jace propped up on his elbows and laughed. Even with her hair tousled, she looked amazing.

Clary saw him half naked and…well… looking _sexy. _She made a noise of frustration and shook up her hair to prevent erotic images from coming into scooped up the rag, forgotten on the floor and lashed at his chest. "You perverted alien!"

**Hehehe, the Jonas Sisters…What? We're not allowed to put non-fictional celebrities, so, you know… :) And it's official! I'm going to Comic Con in October! Yay yay yay yay! I think I might cosplay as Ash Ketchum… Wacha thaynk? Anywho, you know the drill. Follow/favorite and more importantly, leave a review por favor. Thanks for the company, my luvz!**

**~Beanie**

**P.S. I'm so nervous for volleyball tryouts, wish me luck! **


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